Toast-holder.



Patented Dec. 26, I899.

J. C. KIRBY.

TOAST HOLDER.

(Application filed Feb. 11, 1899.)

We Model.)

NITED ATES TOAST-HOLD ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,740, dated December 26, 1899.

Application filed February 11, 1899. Serial No. 706,249. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN CHARLES KIRBY, a citizen of the Kingdom of Great Britain, and a resident of New York, (New Brighton,) in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Toast-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to racks for holding the toast on a table, and has for its object to provide a toast-rack which will not occupy much space and which may be folded up into compact form when not in use.

The leading feature of this invention is the arrangement of a collapsible base handle foldable with the base and partitions for holding slices of toast in an upright position.

I have illustrated my device in the following drawings, in which like letters refer to like parts throughout the various figures.

Figure 1 is a side View of my device holding pieces of toast. Fig. 2 is a plan View of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side view of my device when collapsed.

Referring to the figures, A is a system of lazy-tongs pivoted to a at the center of the different sections a 0. while at the sides of the sections, where they cross opposite sec tions, the upright posts a a are mounted pivotally. The ends of the sections a a a a are extended at a a a a and upon which are mounted pivotally where they cross each other the posts or uprights a 41*". Connecting these points is a cross-bar a This crossbar is made of two pieces, one sliding upon the other, and upon the lower piece is the small stud a and in the upper the slit or way a the object being to allow a longitudinal motion in the cross-bar, necessitated by the action of the lazytongs when they are ex-- panded or collapsed. Underneath the base are provided the standards or legs a a The lazy-tongs base is designed to allow an expansion sufficient to provide a space between the upright posts to permit the easy introduction of slices of toast ,or bread between them, as shown in Fig. 1.

The operation of my device is as follows: When not in use, the ends of the base are pressed toward each other and the base collapses and when closed takes a compact and close formation, as shown in Fig. 3. When required for use, the ends are pulled apart sufficiently to allow the introduction of the slices between the uprights. The slices are put between them and the holder is ready for use, is carried to the table, and passed around as the occasion may require.

The construction of the holder may be va ried as to its precise form and size and the number of pieces to be held and may be used for other'articles besides toast or bread. It may be cheaply constructed of brass, plated, or may be made of solid metal, such as silver, engraved or otherwise decorated to give it an ornamental as welhas a practical use upon a table.

It is evident that toast placed upon a table in such a holder is more attractive and tasteful than when laid upon an ordinary plate.

A rack or holder of the nature described is always a cumbersome article to a housewife 'or servants, first, on account of the room taken up by them and the inconvenience rendered by the upright posts projecting, and, second,where there are many holders used the inability to pack them away conveniently and so as not to occupy too much room. The construction of my device enables me to obviate all of these difficulties and to obtain a neat ornamental toast-holder when in use and a compact small article conveniently stored away, occupying very little space when not in use. This is a material advantage even where only a single holder may be used; but when in a large hotel many would be used at breakfast it becomes a benefit of considerable importance.

Vhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

'1. A toast-rack, consisting of a foldable base, and rows of uprights mounted on and foldable with said base, for supporting slices of toast standing on edge between rows of said uprights, and a foldable handle for lifting said toast-rack mounted upon and foldable in conjunction with said base, as set forth.

2. A foldable toast-rack, having a foldable base in the form of lazy-tongs, a handle foldable in conjunction with said base, and a se ries of uprights or posts mounted on said lazy 10 the cross-bar of said handle at the top of said posts being formed of overlapping slidable sections so as to cooperatein the sliding movements with the lazy-tongs base, as setforth.

Signed at New York city, New York, this 30th day of January, 1899.

JOHN CHARLES KIRBY.

In presence of- NORRIS II. CLARK, R. GEORGE McLEoD. 

